


make a place on earth

by Ladymercury_10



Category: New Mutants (Comics), X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: F/F, Femslash Festivus, First Kiss, Party Games, Yuletide 2020, the latent gayness of claremont-era xmen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:35:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28104042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ladymercury_10/pseuds/Ladymercury_10
Summary: Even a demon sorceress gets seven minutes in heaven if she goes to the right parties.
Relationships: Kitty Pryde/Illyana Rasputin
Comments: 17
Kudos: 50
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	make a place on earth

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tobiko](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tobiko/gifts).



> Happy Yuletide, Tobiko! 
> 
> Set during the 80s run, at some point after "Slumber Party" but before Magneto became headmaster. Illyana is around 14 or 15 and the others thereabouts. Title from Belinda Carlisle. 
> 
> A big thank you to Aleks for betaing! :)

Illyana raises the plastic cup to her lips and takes a sip of her punch. Underneath the ginger-ale fizz, the fuzzy orange of the sherbet, she can make out something medicinal and sharp with a vicious burn. She wrinkles her nose thoughtfully, running her tongue across the roof of her mouth. Cheap alcohol, maybe vodka. Somebody's spiked the punch. 

It doesn't really bother her; as a child, she was given dark wine at Belasco's table. She takes another drink, letting the liquor warm her throat, and scans the crowd for anyone she knows. She catches a flash of wild brown curls in the next room—Kitty, maybe—and begins to wade through the sea of people, holding her cup close to her body and nudging past elbows and shoulders. Her pants catch on something and she nearly trips, punch sloshing over the rim and onto her fingers. She looks down, and _there's_ Kitty, holding onto the leg of her jeans, grinning up at her.

"Jeez, Kitty, you trying to kill me?" She switches hands, licks sticky liquid from her thumb.

Kitty twists the fabric between her fingers, still smiling. "I called your name, but you just kept walking."

"Didn't hear a thing." She swings her leg a little, and Kitty's hand swings with it.

"Hence, the grabbing." Kitty lets go and pats the floor next to her. "Play with us, Yana."

Illyana looks around at the circle of kids seated on the floor. Most of them are from town, maybe a few girls from the dance studio, but Rahne glances up from Kitty's other side. "Come on, then," she says, beckoning urgently. "You cannae leave me to learn this damn fool game by myself."

Kitty squawks indignantly. "By yourself? What am I, chopped liver?"

"You've played before. It's not the same."

"You've been playing for the last ten minutes," Kitty protests.

"I've not spun yet, I haven't," Rahne says, fixing Kitty with a glare. "That's hardly playing."

Illyana heaves a put-upon sigh. "And what game are we playing?"

Kitty laughs and grabs her free hand, pulls her down, but Illyana doesn’t resist. She never could say no to Kitty. "Seven minutes in heaven."

"Oh, perfect." Illyana rolls her eyes. "You are trying to kill me. I'll just spontaneously combust, then, I guess."

One of the boys from North Salem raises an eyebrow at that, but nobody says a thing. Illyana sits down and they go right back to it. No rules, no introductions, just an empty bottle spinning, and ah, see, it was vodka after all.

*

Kitty goes to heaven quickly. She leaves with a blond boy in a sad yellow turtleneck, who Illyana belatedly recognizes as Doug. Rahne lets out a little shriek and Illyana nods in silent agreement. For the next seven minutes, their eyes are glued to the closet door. There’s a tension in the air—more than nosiness, not quite jealousy. When Kitty reappears, she’s blushing, smiling awkwardly down at her shoes. Rahne pounces as soon as she sits down again.

"So," she says, grabbing Kitty's arm to pull her close. "What’s heaven like? Come now, you must tell us."

Kitty shrugs. "Musty. Full of other people's shoes."

"No. Noooo. You know that's not what I meant." Rahne cocks her head. "Is there kissing in heaven?"

“Yeah, Kitty, did you kiss Doug?” Illyana says, leaning in to meet Kitty’s eyes. She feels the tiniest twinge asking. Maybe she is jealous, just a little. She would never deny Kitty anything, but she can envy Doug.

"I can't tell you that!" Kitty says, blushing darker and looking away. "That's, like, the only rule. You don't have to go in if you don't want to, you don't have to kiss if you don't want to, but you can't kiss and tell in heaven."

"Oh, please," Rahne says. "I'm fair certain that's the whole point of this game."

Illyana shakes off her thoughts, pulls herself back to the present. "No, no, that's all right," she counters. Kitty looks up hopefully, and Illyana gives her a fiendish smile. "I'll just wait until the game is over. The rules won't matter then."

Kitty slaps Illyana's hand from her shoulder, but she's laughing. "You're rotten. I'll get you back, though. You're going sooner or later."

Illyana places her hand over her heart, feigning shock. "Why, Kitty, I am much too wicked to ever go to heaven."

Kitty narrows her eyes. "Well, I guess we’ll find out then, won't we?"

*

As it happens, heaven is willing to admit her after all. She's not paying attention when it happens, cackling at Kitty's best impression of the Professor. So many people have joined the game that she doesn't even know who spun the bottle until it points to her and she meets Dani's eyes on the far side of the circle. Dani gives a little wave and shrugs her shoulders. Illyana shrugs back. Why not?

On her way to the door Dani stumbles, then catches herself. Is she nervous, or—

"My foot fell asleep," she tells Illyana, smiling a little sheepishly. "Been sitting too long."

"Anxious for your turn?" Illyana asks, her hand on the doorknob.

"Oh, sure. Just dying to find out what heaven's like," Dani deadpans, and then the door is closing behind them and they are in the dark.

"Kitty was right," Illyana says a few moments later, crossing her legs on the floor. "Heaven is full of shoes."

"Smells like mothballs, too," Dani says. Her silver belt clinks as she finds a place to sit.

They’re both quiet for a moment. "So," Dani finally asks. "How's the party going?"

"You can't tell?"

"I mean, are you having a good time?"

"Oh," Illyana says. "Sure, I guess. You?"

"I'd be having a better time if I didn't have a hiking boot stabbing me in the back."

Illyana summons up her best dark-temptress tone. "I could show you a better time."

Dani snorts. "You gonna seduce me by moving that boot?"

"I can."

"I like to think I'm not that easy."

"Oh? So how easy are you, then?"

There's a rustling as Dani turns. Even in the dark, Illyana can feel her eyes on her. "No offense, Yana, but you're not gonna get much out of me."

Illyana exhales. "You know, that's what I figured, but it seemed rude not to at least offer. Especially seeing how you were being accosted by that boot."

Dani laughs. "Real gallant of you."

"I can be very chivalrous, despite my upbringing."

Another laugh, and then a pause. Dani's earrings jingle, like she's tilting her head. "Did you mean it, though?"

"Mean what? That I would rescue you from that boot? Of course, give it here."

"No, just—" Dani's voice is disarmingly sincere. "About the seducing."

"Ah." Illyana leans back against the wall, falling behind a curtain of thick coats. "Well, I didn't come here to kiss you, specifically, if that's what you're asking. But I knew what game we were playing. So yeah, I would have kissed you if you wanted me to."

Hangers scrape along the rack as Dani parts the coats. The air is cooler, less stale without them so close. "Illyana, are you—" she starts, and Illyana feels a shock of adrenaline, knowing where this is going, unready to answer. Yes, she likes girls. No, she's not ashamed. But all her bravado suddenly falls away when she can no longer pretend she's just going along with the game. She wants to pull the coats back around her, muffle herself in the heavy wool.

"Never mind," Dani says instead, and Illyana's heartbeat settles as quickly as it had risen. "You're sweet." She leans in to brush a chaste kiss against her cheek. Illyana touches her own face, unsure what to say. She is saved by a sharp knock on the door, calling her back to earth.

*

Illyana is almost asleep, curled up on top of her covers. Every few minutes, a muscle in her leg jumps and she kicks out, feels the weight of her boots again. But she can ignore that, just like she can ignore the roughness of her jeans and the cough-medicine aftertaste of the punch in her mouth. She could fall asleep right here in all her clothes, she thinks, and then she is jolted awake by a sudden bounce of the mattress, a weight gently thumping against her chest, and she nearly jumps out of her skin.

“Hey, roomie,” Kitty says, when Illyana glares up at her. She’s half on the bed and half rolled on top of her. “Did you miss me?”

“While you were in the kitchen? No,” Illyana grumbles. “God, Kitty, will you quit trying to kill me? Do it in the morning, I’m sleeping now.”

“You’re not sleeping.”

“I would be.” Illyana frees her arm to fling it dramatically across her face.

“Yeah, so really I’m doing you a favor,” Kitty says. “You don’t wanna fall asleep with all that makeup on. It’s bad for your skin.”

Illyana drops her arm again to give Kitty a blank stare. “I don’t care,” she says, but her lashes feel crispy with dried mascara and she has to blink a few times to get her eyes to focus, which no doubt ruins the effect. 

“You’re really going to sleep with your shoes on?”

“What’s it to you? Did you really attack me just to scold me about it?”

“I didn’t attack you, I flopped on you.”

Illyana waves a hand dismissively, then turns to face the wall. “Well, if that’s all you want, you can flop away to your own bed. Or just lie still. I don’t care. I’m going to sleep.”

“I’m not here to scold you.” 

“Cool. Good night.”

Kitty leans over her shoulder, chest pressed against her back. “I’m here to find out how you liked heaven.”

“Good night, Kitty,” Illyana repeats firmly.

“Oh no, you’re not getting out of this. I told you your turn was coming.”

Illyana raises one hand, middle finger held high. Kitty just laughs, hard enough that Illyana can feel the vibration in her ribs. She rolls onto her back, shoving Kitty to the side.

“You,” she says, “Are a vengeful harpy, Kitty Pryde.”

Kitty covers her mouth, still laughing. “In case you forgot, you were the one who started all this.”

“No, no, also you. You were the one who wanted me to play.” Illyana rubs the back of her hand across her eyes, feeling her mascara crumble. “Fine. Okay. But if we do this, you go first.”

“Ruthless,” Kitty says. “Ruthless, but fair. Ask away, Yana, I’m all yours.”

“All right. Let’s cut to the chase. Did you and Doug kiss?” Illyana slants her eyes at Kitty. She feels that twinge again, but she wants to know.

Kitty stares up at the ceiling, quiet for a minute. “Promise not to tell Rahne?”

“Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye,” Illyana says, drawing an X across her chest.

“Gruesome,” Kitty says.

“I can be gruesomer. More gruesome. Gah. Go on.” 

Kitty huffs a sigh. “No.”

“No, you don’t believe I can be more gruesome? Or no, you didn’t kiss Doug?”

Kitty jabs her with an elbow. “Stop being difficult. No, I didn’t kiss Doug. We just talked for a while. I dunno, it was...nice, actually. But I’m pretty sure he likes Rahne.” She stretches, then lets her arms drop to her chest. “What about you? Did you kiss Dani?”

“Hold on, hold on. Wait your turn. I haven’t finished my line of questioning.”

“Oh, you have a turn? I thought the whole point was that there were no rules now.”

Illyana growls. “I'm going to stop talking to you if you keep using my own words against me."

“You won’t either. You love me too much. Come on, did you kiss Dani?”

“I do love you too much. It’s a pity, really, because it means I can’t strangle you.” Illyana rubs her eyes again. “Wait, if you didn’t kiss Doug, why were you blushing so much?”

“Everyone was staring at me!” Kitty gives her arm a little shove. “You should have seen your face when you came back with Dani. You looked like you had seen a ghost.”

“No, I didn’t. If I had seen a ghost, I would have looked more like this.” She hardens her features, imagines preparing to dispatch a specter.

“Oh, for Pete’s sake, Yana, quit stalling.” Kitty shoves her again, harder this time.

“Ow. You’re awfully bossy tonight.” Illyana rubs her arm, though it doesn’t really hurt. “No, we didn’t kiss. I mean...not really?”

“Not really? Oooh.”

“Oh, be quiet. She kissed me. But just a little peck. Just here,” she says, lightly tapping a finger against Kitty’s face.

“I don’t know,” Kitty says, turning to face Illyana, her cheek warm against her fingers. “Maybe you should show me. Just so I don’t get the wrong idea, you know.”

Illyana searches her eyes, dark and filled with mischief and yet more serious than she’s looked all night. “Okay. Okay, sure.” 

She props herself on one elbow and leans over, resting one hand on Kitty’s arm. Kitty doesn’t break eye contact until Illyana turns her head to brush her lips over Kitty’s soft cheek. Her heart is speeding up, but it’s different from the fear she felt before. She wants this. Wants it badly, though she would never ask for it herself. Heat spreads through her chest and rises in her cheeks as she pulls back to look at her best friend.

“Hmm,” Kitty says, slow but certain. “Not bad. But I think..I think I can do you one better.” She takes Illyana by the shoulder and pulls her in close. Illyana forgets to breathe. She grabs the crinkly sleeve of Kitty’s blouse to steady herself, and for a moment, they just look at each other. Illyana’s dreaming, she must be. She fell asleep in her clothes and she’s still lying on top of the covers. 

Then Kitty leans in, closing the last little space between them. When they kiss, she tastes like candy and bad vodka, and their noses bump awkwardly. Actually, it hurts a little bit, but Illyana doesn’t care. She lets her hand slip down Kitty’s back, feels her shoulder blades, sharp and bony and real. Real. She finally relaxes, closes her eyes. Her breathing evens out and she lets herself sink into the warmth and softness between them.

Kitty pulls away first. Her frizzed-out curls tickle Illyana’s face. “Well,” she says, voice still playful but touched with shyness now. “What do you think?”

Illyana looks at her. “Are you for real?” she asks, barely more than a whisper. Kitty’s given her so much just by being her friend. This is more than Illyana could ask for, more than she deserves.

Kitty’s eyebrows furrow just a little bit. “Are you?”

More than she deserves, but not more than she can accept. Not if Kitty wants it, too. “Hell yes,” Illyana breathes.

Kitty’s smile returns and she reaches to clasp Illyana’s hand in hers. “Then I’m right there with you.”


End file.
